Characters
''Curley: '''Curley is the boss’s son. He is “a thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair.” The swamper describes him as a “lightweight, and he’s handy” as he’s “done quite a bit in the ring.” Throughout the story, Curley seems to have tension towards Lennie in an aggressive way. He “hates big guys” and avoids intimidation. “He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys kind of like he’s mad at ‘em because he ain’t a big guy.”(page 26) To George, “Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch” and a “bastard”. Curley is introduced in the story as the newly wed.” Seems like Curley is cockier’n ever since he got married.” (page 27) He is extremely possessive over his flirtatious wife. He wears “a work glove on his left hand” and the swamper explains that Curley is “keepin’ that hand soft for his wife.” Curley’s possessiveness over his tarty wife fits in with the setting because at this time, men were often occupied with work and women would be the biggest distraction. ' Curley’s wife: Curley’s wife is the only woman character of the story(aside from Aunt Clara who only appears as a vision). Throughout the story, the name of Curley’s wife remains unrevealed. She had a voice with a “nasal, brittle quality” and is seen as “tart” with a “purty” image. “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers.”(page 31) At this time, women are troublemakers who mess around with men and often drive them angry. Curley’s wife is treated with contempt in the story. Her character in Of Mice and Men describes women who are considered as prostitutes or dead material figures. She is seen as “useless” until she opens up about her dream as an actress. “What kinda harm am i doin’ to you? Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how i gotta live. I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself.” She said darkly, “Maybe I will yet.” And then her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away. “I lived right in Salina,” she said. “Come there when i was a kid. Well, a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says i could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’ let me. She says because i was on’y fifteen. But the guy says I coulda. If I’d went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet.” (page 88) Aunt Clara: Aunt Clara is Lennie’s aunt who is only mentioned throughout the story and appears as a vision to Lennie. She is introduced as a kind and patient woman who took Lennie when he was a baby and raised him. She would give him plenty of mice to pet. George explains how he and Lennie meets because he “knowed Lennie’s Aunt Clara” “When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little while.” (page 40) The only other time Aunt Clara appears in the story again is at the end, as a vision chastising Lennie for causing trouble for George. “There came a little fat old woman. She wore thick bull’s-eye glasses and she wore a huge gingham apron with pockeys, and she was starched and clean.” (page 100-101) She appears in Lennie’s image as his conscience. No one else knows Lennie as much as Aunt Clara does. The Boss: The Boss is in charge of the ranch. He is never named in the story and only appears once, but what we do know is that The Boss is a man because he is Curley’s father. The Boss can fairly get mad sometimes, but “he’s a pretty nice fella.” (p.20) Crooks: 'Crooks gets his name from his crooked back where a horse kicked him. Crooks is the only black person in the story and is ocassionally called a "nigger". Due to the color of his skin, he is isolated from the other men. The night Lennie visits him, Crooks admits to being lonely. At first he strays from admitting and tries to prove a point, but crooks ends up inviting Lennie to have a chat with him. For being a black man, Crooks is not allowed to enter the white men's bunkhouse, or be able to go out with them. His bitterness begins to peak in, but displays unhappiness. His character stimulates isolation and loneliness, and because of this, he desires to have a purpose in life. ' Slim= skilled mule driver and well known in the ranch he is also a jerkline skinner “ he was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders. He was capable of killing a fly on the wheeler’s butt with a bullwhip without touching the mule. There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke.” People often go to often for an advice “ his authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love. “ *the only character who seems to be peace and stable *comforts George at the end Lennie= “ huge man, shapeless of face with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders “ he is joyful when he touches soft little things whether it is a cotton dress, silky fabric or soft puppy “ ju’s wanted to feel that girl’s dress.. jus’ wanted to pet it like it was a mouse “ He has an obsession petting mouse even though it is dead *childlike migrant worker *depends upon George, his friend and traveling companion for guidance and protection "